FOR THOSE WHO LOVE BIRDS.

Forest and Bird, Issue 31, 1 October 1933, Page 9

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE BIRDS.

. In a communication to The London Times, Dr. Axel Munthe writes: — My attention has been drawn to a recently published letter from a passing visitor to Capri, stating that in spite of the island having been declared a bird sanctuary the bird-slaughter continues as before. Since my letter to The Times under the heading "To Those Who Love Birds” I have received over 900 letters from unknown readers of your paper rejoicing with me in Mussolini’s decree. I wish these bird-lovers to know that the above-mentioned statement from Capri is incorrect. Since November 9, when the decree proclaiming Capri a bird sanctuary became law, not a single shot has been fired on the island, not even at me. It is true that a good many birds are still caught in snares and traps, but the local authorities are now fully aware of their responsibility and are trying their best to put a stop to this thousand years old practice, a far from easy task, not to be accomplished in one year. When I left Capri some weeks ago' the whole island was full of bird song. There was a farewell concert in the garden of Materita, in my honour, with a jubilant chorus of blackbirds, turtle-doves, chiff-chaffs, garden warblers, flycatchers, goldfinches, blackcaps, woodlarks, linnets, yellow-hammers, and whitebreasts. The programme also included a beautiful adagio for flute by a golden oriol, an old-fashioned, tender ballad for mezzo-soprano by a blue rock thrush, and a sad little folk-song by a willow-warbler from a bush of rosemary. From the top of an olive tree even a weather-bound cuckoo, still somewhat shaky in his vocal cords after his long sea journey and rather out of tuite with his unfamiliar surroundings, insisted on having his say, amidst peals of laughter from dozens of merry chaffinches.